World Science Day for Peace and Development
Rebuilding the spirit of community in a changing Africa
Across Africa, the idea of “community” has long been at the heart of how people live, work, and relate to one another. Families once extended beyond the home, neighbours supported each other in times of hardship, and decisions were made through dialogue and shared responsibility.
However, in many parts of the continent today, that sense of community, the social glue that holds people together, is slowly eroding. The result is growing intolerance, isolation, and mistrust at every level: among individuals, families, communities, and even nations.
This change is complex, shaped by many forces, such as urbanisation, technology, migration, economic inequality, and shifting values. The question is whether development and humanitarian actors, in their quest to promote progress, also have a duty to help preserve the essence of community that once sustained African societies.
In traditional African life, identity was collective. One’s well-being was tied to the well-being of others, a reflection of the African philosophy of ubuntu, “I am because we are.” Today, however, rapid social change has pushed many toward individualism. Urban life often leaves little time or space for communal connection.
Digital communication replaces face-to-face interaction, while competition for scarce opportunities breeds rivalry instead of solidarity. The loss of these shared bonds weakens tolerance. When people no longer feel connected, empathy declines. Minor disagreements can escalate into hostility because there is no longer a social cushion of trust and belonging. Rebuilding tolerance, therefore, begins with restoring the sense that people share a common destiny.
Families have traditionally been the first school of social values. In many African settings, elders played a key role in teaching patience, respect, and cooperation. However, economic pressures, migration, and modern lifestyles have changed family dynamics. Parents work longer hours or live apart to earn more income, while children grow up in fragmented households with limited guidance. As families lose the time and space to pass down communal values, intolerance often begins at home, in how differences are handled, how conflicts are resolved, and how respect for others is learnt. Supporting family stability, therefore, becomes part of preserving the spirit of community.
Communities that once cooperated in farming, education, and local governance are increasingly divided along political, religious, or ethnic lines. Development projects sometimes unintentionally deepen these divisions when resources are distributed unevenly or when competition for aid fuels mistrust. Reviving tolerance requires creating spaces where communities can work together toward common goals, such as managing shared resources, rebuilding schools, or planning for climate resilience. These shared efforts remind people that cooperation, not competition, has always been Africa’s true strength.
At the national level, intolerance manifests in polarised politics and diminished faith in public institutions. When citizens no longer see themselves as part of one collective identity, they are more easily divided by rhetoric or misinformation. This erosion of community undermines not only social harmony but also national stability. Nation-building, therefore, must go beyond infrastructure and economic growth. It must invest in rebuilding social trust through civic education, inclusive governance, and opportunities for dialogue that bridge divides.
Development and humanitarian organisations play a significant role in shaping social systems. Yet their work can sometimes unintentionally weaken community ties. When external actors deliver solutions without involving local voices, they replace cooperation with dependency. When aid is distributed to individuals rather than through communal structures, it erodes traditional forms of mutual support. This calls for a shift in approach. Development should not only address material needs but also strengthen the social fabric. Projects should build on existing local systems, such as village councils, women’s groups, and youth associations, that encourage people to solve problems collectively.
Rebuilding tolerance requires nurturing these spaces of connection. It is the shared work of families, educators, faith leaders, policymakers, and humanitarian and development actors. By valuing togetherness as much as progress, individuals, communities and nations can renew the balance between modern growth and traditional wisdom.
